More construction - pictures included

[jefelectric]

Very nice Brent, can't wait to see the real thing.  Which reminds me, got to get busy and print out a map.

Edited:

Just printed out the map, now I know where you live, thought you were closer to Baltimore. 

 

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks fellas.

I have a recommendation - if you want to quote a post that contains pictures, how about deleteing the picture references? This helps those that don't have high-speed internet access to still be able to enjoy the threads.

[Brutus]

Very nice, Brent - I really like your layout a lot

[jmkk]

 Looks like some good progress. Keep it up.

Jason

[Anonymous]

Some updated photos.

Overview, the new Domino Sugar Plant spur is mocked up:


Train coming out of the tunnel:


Waiting for tracks to clear:


Soon the SFSRR won't need to rely on foreign oil:


Another shot of the scratch built steel girder bridge:

[Anonymous]

Don,
Here are some updated plans:

Overall Layout:


Level 1:


Level 2:


The red yard trackage in the middle of level 2 is an underground passenger station. I'll know the train has passed the switch because I'll see the train. The only switches that are for normal operation are the two switches in the lower right corner of level 2 and the switch that enters the yard on level 1. All other switches are either sidings or reverse loops. The transition from level 1 to level 2 is a special case. In other words, if you are throwing a switch you better know what you are doing!

[dmestan]

Brent, do you have an updated track plan you can post?  I'm intersted to see how you got all of that track in there!  Also, from the original plan are those hidden storage tracks in the middle of the 2nd level?  How do can you tell when the trains have cleared the switch?

Don

[Anonymous]

Brent--

Very impressive, I like it!  Those wooden portals are certainly heavy duty.  How close are you to beginning the scenic work? 

Thanks! It certainly has been a journey and I'm learning a lot as I go along. As for scenery, I'm quite a ways from starting the scenery. I have some of it stockpiled, but I need to get the track laid, wiring done, and run some trains for a while to make sure I like everything. No sense building scenery and then find I have a dead spot in the track!

In your 2nd pic, if a big 'ol steamer were heading into the room on the 2nd level, is there enough room for the front end to clear that styrofoam wall?

Thanks again for posting the progress pics, I really enjoy seeing building techniques!

LOL! Nope. My C&O Allegheny would plow that puppy right over! The stryofoam will be trimmed down and will be flush with the plywood at that location for about 2 inches, then taper up a bit (kind of like rolling hills) nothing very high, maybe an inch at most above the plywood, then I'll add some trees and such.

This project has, for the most part, been a blast! I can't run trains on the second level yet, but it is fun to run them on the first level as I'm working above. The nice thing is, where I am now, I can park two trains on the first level in the tunnel on the far end of the layout, this protects them from falling plywood and tools, when I am working on the second level second tier I can move the trains from the second level down to the first level and park them on the opposite end of the layout (behind the yard), right now there are 4 complete trains on the layout, and one extra engine.

I really hope I can get the rest of the mock up done and have the majority of the wiring completed by Friday as I have some special guests slated to arrive on Saturday. I was going to hold off on posting these pics till SPF, but I have some additional surprises in store for them so I figured what the heck!

[Anonymous]

Chief, this is awesome work!!!

I've been foolin' with you fellas for a while now. You thought I was only building a flat layout, knocking holes in walls, and all that.

[jonadel]

Brent--

Very impressive, I like it!  Those wooden portals are certainly heavy duty.  How close are you to beginning the scenic work? 

In your 2nd pic, if a big 'ol steamer were heading into the room on the 2nd level, is there enough room for the front end to clear that styrofoam wall?

Thanks again for posting the progress pics, I really enjoy seeing building techniques!

 

 

[Anonymous]

 Is it just me or is 88's avatar a picture of the Chief. April 1? If so nice one.

Jason

[FJ and G]

Chief, this is awesome work!!!

[jmkk]

 Is it just me or is 88's avatar a picture of the Chief. April 1? If so nice one.

Jason

 

[Anonymous]

Chief - I keep tellin' ya you gotta come see it.

Don - Yes it is a design change. I really like the two track bridges, the imense size of them is quite impressive. The Atlas bridge is 10" x 40" and makes for a nice centerpiece on the layout. I know Lionel and MTH make 2 track Hellgate bridges, but they wouldn't look right on a B&O Layout and they are in the 15" x 30" range (kind of odd shaped). The portals are going to be painted - haven't decided yet if concrete or stone, leaning toward stone to match the MTH portals I am using (that's where I got the portal profile from). The portal supporting the bridge is going to be replaced. I have to widen the opening and make the overall width much wider. The right side near the layout edge needs to extend to the edge, and the other side needs to be extended to support the entire bridge width, this side will also extend down to the layout base to provide additional support for the bridge.

[dmestan]

Wow, looking really nice !  Far better than any vision I have.  Is that upper level a design change?  I don't recognize the double track from your plan.  The plywood portals look good too.  Are you going to finish them to look like concrete or stone?

Thanks for the updates, and the info.

Don

[ChiefEagles]

Gracious, doing good there.

[Anonymous]

Brent-

Any updates?  I've been anxiously waiting to see more of your progress!  After my last post looking for ideas for my layout shape I've decided to go with a 7X15 rectangle which looks to be just a little smaller than your layout.  You have a lot of the features I want so I'm hoping to steal some ideas from your plan.  A few questions:
What switches are you using?  From the track plan they look like O54
What is the spacing between the first and second level?
What is the grade of the connecting track?  It looks to be > 4% but you mentioned your loco had no problems getting up there.

thx, Don

The layout is 8'2" x 15'.

The switches are mostly O54, but there are a couple O45.

The levels are 7.5" apart.

The grades are all < 3%.

I don't remember what the last update contained... I think there were some pictures that I took last week that you haven't seen.

Here are a few updated pics:

This is coming into the train room. What is new here is the upper level, the stryofoam 'wall' that will become cliffs, and the Atlas Double Track Pratt Truss bridge.


Another shot of the upper level, wall, and bridge. Here you can see the steel girder bridge I built last week (it is the gray bridge through the middle of the picture):


The ADTPT bridge, and some construction mess.


View of the gorge. Tracks from left to right: 1st to 2nd level transition, entrance to underground passenger terminal, the lines heading to and from the second level:


This is the view back through the gorge, to your right will be the town, you can also see some of the 1st to 2nd level transition track.


The grades are an optical illusion, they appear much steeper than they really are. Thanks for the interest. If there is anything specific you would like to see let me know and I'll post a pic for you.

[dmestan]

Brent-

Any updates?  I've been anxiously waiting to see more of your progress!  After my last post looking for ideas for my layout shape I've decided to go with a 7X15 rectangle which looks to be just a little smaller than your layout.  You have a lot of the features I want so I'm hoping to steal some ideas from your plan.  A few questions:
What switches are you using?  From the track plan they look like O54
What is the spacing between the first and second level?
What is the grade of the connecting track?  It looks to be > 4% but you mentioned your loco had no problems getting up there.

thx, Don

[USNRol]

Nope.  Not me.  I'm a hack.  I play with trains like my four year daughter plays with dolls...

someday I'll get serious enough to possibly be a member of a railroad club!

Roland

edit: I have been railroaded near the Tappahannock though...by a sherriff's deputy....for speeding on route 17 when I was stationed in Hampton roads and visiting D.C. on weekends.

Could this be the connection your thinking of?  ;)

 

[rtraincollector]

USNROL are you the same roland that is a member of the tappahonic river railroaders club in deltaville, VA.

[USNRol]

Roland,
If you are interested, I'm having a gathering at my place on April 19th for the forum members attending York. If you are close by Mt. Airy and are interested you are welcome to join us.

Brent, Thanks for the very gracious invite!  I'd love a chance to look first hand at your layout and meet and chat with you and the others.  Unfortunately, since I'm not going to York (not a TCA member yet) and it's likely to be a decade before I can afford the time and $ for my own layout like yours I couldn't possibly endure the tease!   Honestly, appreciate the invite; I know it'd be worth the 2 hour drive to get there.

Roland

[Jumijo]

You should have that layout done just before York at the rate you're going, Brent! No eternal plywood prairie for you!

Super job and I greatly enjoy your updates.

Jim 

[Anonymous]

Seriously, I would not be where I am if it weren't for Fife.

That's an interesting choice of words.

Regards,

John

I would still be in the planning stages.

That didn't sound right either...

I would still be planning the layout.

[RockIsland52]

Seriously, I would not be where I am if it weren't for Fife.

That's an interesting choice of words.

Regards,

John

I would still be in the planning stages.

Fife ain't old enough. 

Jack

[Anonymous]

Seriously, I would not be where I am if it weren't for Fife.

That's an interesting choice of words.

Regards,

John

I would still be in the planning stages.

[johnandjulie13]

Seriously, I would not be where I am if it weren't for Fife.

That's an interesting choice of words.

Regards,

John

[Anonymous]

While Susan was away last week I decided to paint The O'Hare Spans. These are three Lionel Arch-Under bridges that, quite frankly IMHO, don't look all that good in grey. I have always liked the New River Gourge Bridge in West Virginia, so that was the look I was going for when I decided to paint the bridges:



From here they will be weathered using some orangish brown paint I picked up at AC Moore.

Brent...I'm overwhelmed.  I worked on a project across the New River Gorge Bridge.   Is there a way you can hang some bungee jumpers from the bridges?  To get the right look, take fifedog to New River, attach the rope and throw hm off while you take photos.  Your photos will be extremely beneficial in getting the facial expression correct.

Problem is in order to get him there I would have to take him and Queen Fife and if I pushed him over with a bunjee rope she would push me over without one! Now if Susieq were there and it were reversed she'd give him a check!

All kidding aside, I do like the idea. But the NRGB is known more for base jumping than bunjee jumping... so I could go for something dealing with that, maybe some monofiliment (aka fishing line) from the bridge to the mountain... hey that gives me some ideas!!!!

[Buckeye Riveter]

While Susan was away last week I decided to paint The O'Hare Spans. These are three Lionel Arch-Under bridges that, quite frankly IMHO, don't look all that good in grey. I have always liked the New River Gourge Bridge in West Virginia, so that was the look I was going for when I decided to paint the bridges:



From here they will be weathered using some orangish brown paint I picked up at AC Moore.

Brent...I'm overwhelmed.  I worked on a project across the New River Gorge Bridge.   Is there a way you can hang some bungee jumpers from the bridges?  To get the right look, take fifedog to New River, attach the rope and throw hm off while you take photos.  Your photos will be extremely beneficial in getting the facial expression correct.

[Anonymous]

Perfect! I've been enjoying this thread for awhile. The bare plywood with track stage is the best stage. An open canvas for a painter, so to speak. I wish I had planned as well as you are when I built my layout. Keep the updates coming.

Planning? I have Fifedog to thank for that! After a little discussion about what I was attempting, he put together an incredible plan, a couple modifications and some tweeking along the way and this is where we are today. Seriously, I would not be where I am if it weren't for Fife.